Taboo Words List: 300 Free Cards & Online Game

Two teams, one phone, a loud timer and 300 cards that are hard to describe on purpose.

On this page

How to play
Rules and variations
Tips for a good game
How to play without a phone

Forbidden Words is a team word game where you get your team to guess a word without saying it or any of the 5 most obvious clue words on the card. This page is a free taboo game online that you play on one phone, with a 60-second timer, scores for two teams, and 300 cards from easy to expert. The full taboo words list is below the game, sorted by category, so you can also print it.

How to play

You need one phone and at least four people.

Make two teams. Sit so teammates are next to each other, or across from each other if that makes it easier to hear. Mix fast talkers and quiet thinkers on both sides.
Pick the card packs. Easy, Food, Animals, Home, Places, Jobs, Sports and Holidays are good for everyone. Hard is for teens and adults. Expert is for a group that wants to struggle a bit.
Choose the first clue giver. Team 1 picks one person. That person holds the phone so only they can see the screen. The other team sits close enough to see it too, because they are the ones watching for forbidden words.
Press Start. The 60-second timer begins. The clue giver describes the word at the top of the card. They cannot say that word, any part of it, or any of the 5 words listed under it.
Tap Correct or Pass. When the team shouts the right word, tap Correct and the next card appears. If the card is too hard, tap Pass and move on.
Pass the phone. When the timer beeps, it is the other team's turn. Pick a new clue giver each round so everyone has a go.

The phone keeps score and does not repeat cards until the whole deck has been used.

Rules and variations

The basic rule is simple: say the card word or a forbidden word and the card is lost. Beyond that, groups like to set their own house rules. Here are the most common ones.

No sounds, no gestures. Pointing, acting it out, "rhymes with" and "sounds like" are banned. This keeps it a talking game, not charades.
Penalty points. Normally a passed card costs nothing. For a stricter game, take 1 point away for each pass or forbidden word. This stops teams from skipping every card that looks hard.
Buzzer person. One player from the other team is the official buzzer for the round. They shout "Buzz!" the second a forbidden word slips out. It adds a lot of noise and laughing.
One-word clues. For a hard round, the clue giver may only say one word at a time and must wait for a guess before the next word.
Lightning round. Set the timer to 30 seconds for the last round of the night and double the points.

Tips for a good game

For the host. Explain the rules with one practice card before you start scoring. Agree on what counts as a forbidden word: most groups ban parts of words too, so "fire" is out when the card is Firefighter. Keep the phone screen bright and the sound on, because the beep is how people know the round is over.

Mixed ages. Put younger kids on a team with an adult and use only level-1 packs at first. A good trick is to let young kids pass twice for free. If adults are much faster, have them give clues while kids do most of the guessing.

Shy players. Being the clue giver can feel like being on stage. Let shy players guess for a couple of rounds before they give clues. If they freeze, a teammate can whisper an idea once per round. Easy cards help too: it is much less scary to describe Pizza than Photosynthesis.

Better clues. Think about how the word is used, not what it looks like. For Umbrella you cannot say rain, wet, open, handle or dry, so try "you hold it over your head when the weather is bad". Short clues are better than long speeches. If the team is stuck, pass early, as there are plenty more cards.

Keep it moving. Rounds should go back and forth fast. The team that is not playing should stay quiet unless they are buzzing a forbidden word. If one round goes badly, the next team is up in a minute anyway.

How to play without a phone

You can play the same game with paper and a timer.

Print this page, or copy cards from the list below onto small pieces of paper. Write the main word at the top in big letters and the 5 forbidden words underneath.
Shuffle the cards and put them face down in a pile.
Use any timer: a kitchen timer, a sand timer, or a stopwatch held by someone on the other team.
The clue giver draws cards one at a time and holds each one so the other team can read it too.
Put correct cards in one pile and passed cards in another. Count the correct pile at the end of the round and write the score on paper.

A paper version is great for car trips, camping, classrooms and anywhere without signal. If you laminate the cards, you can use them again and again.

All 300 words

Easy

Sun (hot, sky, yellow, day, light)
Moon (night, sky, stars, space, full)
Rainbow (colors, sky, arch, gold, storm)
Balloon (air, party, pop, float, birthday)
Teddy Bear (toy, soft, stuffed, hug, cuddle)
Bicycle (ride, wheels, pedal, helmet, chain)
Ice Cream (cold, cone, scoop, dessert, vanilla)
Snowman (winter, carrot, cold, build, Frosty)
Kite (fly, wind, string, sky, tail)
Robot (machine, metal, beep, toy, computer)
Dinosaur (extinct, fossil, reptile, huge, bones)
Crayon (color, draw, wax, box, paper)
Swing (playground, push, park, seat, back)
Slide (playground, down, park, slippery, ladder)
Birthday (cake, party, candles, presents, age)
Cookie (bake, chocolate, chip, sweet, jar)
Book (read, pages, story, library, cover)
Shoe (foot, feet, wear, laces, sock)
Umbrella (rain, wet, open, handle, dry)
Bubble (soap, blow, pop, float, bath)
Puzzle (pieces, jigsaw, fit, picture, solve)
Train (tracks, choo, station, ride, engine)
Rocket (space, launch, fly, moon, blast)
Castle (king, queen, princess, tower, moat)
Hat (head, wear, cap, sun, cover)
Drum (beat, bang, music, sticks, band)
Piano (keys, music, play, black, white)
Bus (school, yellow, ride, driver, stop)
Superhero (cape, powers, save, fly, mask)
Sandcastle (beach, bucket, build, shovel, waves)

Food

Pizza (cheese, slice, Italian, pepperoni, crust)
Hamburger (bun, beef, patty, cheese, grill)
Spaghetti (pasta, noodles, Italian, sauce, meatballs)
Pancake (breakfast, syrup, flat, flip, butter)
Popcorn (movie, butter, kernels, salty, microwave)
Banana (yellow, monkey, peel, fruit, split)
Apple (red, fruit, tree, pie, green)
Strawberry (red, fruit, seeds, jam, cream)
Cheese (mouse, yellow, milk, cheddar, slice)
Egg (chicken, yolk, breakfast, shell, white)
Carrot (orange, vegetable, rabbit, crunchy, root)
Watermelon (seeds, green, red, summer, juicy)
Taco (Mexican, shell, beef, salsa, cheese)
Sushi (fish, rice, Japanese, raw, roll)
Soup (bowl, spoon, hot, chicken, broth)
Bread (loaf, toast, slice, flour, bake)
Chocolate (sweet, candy, brown, cocoa, milk)
Donut (hole, sweet, glazed, sprinkles, round)
French Fries (potato, salty, ketchup, crispy, chips)
Hot Dog (sausage, bun, mustard, ketchup, grill)
Lemon (sour, yellow, juice, fruit, citrus)
Pineapple (tropical, spiky, yellow, fruit, Hawaii)
Cereal (breakfast, milk, bowl, spoon, box)
Peanut Butter (jelly, sandwich, spread, sticky, jar)
Salad (lettuce, green, healthy, bowl, dressing)
Rice (white, grain, bowl, sushi, chopsticks)
Honey (bees, sweet, sticky, yellow, jar)
Grapes (purple, vine, bunch, raisins, green)
Waffle (syrup, breakfast, squares, butter, iron)
Noodles (pasta, ramen, long, soup, slurp)

Animals

Elephant (trunk, big, gray, ears, tusks)
Giraffe (neck, tall, spots, long, Africa)
Lion (king, mane, roar, jungle, cat)
Penguin (ice, cold, black, white, waddle)
Kangaroo (jump, pouch, Australia, hop, baby)
Monkey (banana, climb, ape, tree, swing)
Dolphin (ocean, smart, swim, fins, sea)
Shark (teeth, ocean, fin, bite, Jaws)
Snake (slither, hiss, long, venom, scales)
Owl (night, hoot, wise, bird, eyes)
Bee (honey, buzz, sting, yellow, hive)
Butterfly (wings, caterpillar, colorful, insect, cocoon)
Turtle (shell, slow, green, ocean, tortoise)
Zebra (stripes, black, white, horse, Africa)
Frog (green, jump, pond, ribbit, toad)
Rabbit (bunny, ears, hop, carrot, Easter)
Horse (ride, saddle, gallop, pony, farm)
Cow (milk, moo, farm, spots, barn)
Pig (oink, pink, mud, farm, bacon)
Octopus (eight, arms, tentacles, ink, sea)
Spider (web, eight, legs, bug, crawl)
Bear (grizzly, honey, brown, polar, hibernate)
Duck (quack, water, pond, bird, feathers)
Crocodile (alligator, teeth, swamp, reptile, green)
Panda (bamboo, black, white, China, bear)
Parrot (bird, talk, colorful, repeat, feathers)
Camel (desert, hump, ride, sand, water)
Squirrel (nuts, tree, tail, acorn, bushy)
Whale (ocean, big, blue, swim, spout)
Ladybug (red, spots, black, insect, small)

Home

Pillow (bed, sleep, soft, head, cushion)
Mirror (reflection, look, glass, see, face)
Clock (time, hands, tick, hours, wall)
Toothbrush (clean, paste, bathroom, morning, bristles)
Bathtub (water, soap, bubbles, wash, shower)
Scissors (cut, paper, sharp, blades, snip)
Refrigerator (cold, food, kitchen, freezer, milk)
Couch (sofa, sit, living, room, cushions)
Television (watch, shows, remote, screen, channel)
Oven (bake, hot, kitchen, cook, stove)
Blanket (warm, bed, cover, cozy, sleep)
Lamp (light, bulb, table, switch, shade)
Window (glass, open, curtains, see, view)
Door (open, close, knock, handle, key)
Stairs (steps, up, down, climb, floor)
Washing Machine (laundry, clothes, clean, spin, dryer)
Vacuum (clean, carpet, dust, suck, noise)
Microwave (heat, food, kitchen, popcorn, beep)
Toilet (bathroom, flush, seat, paper, potty)
Fork (eat, spoon, prongs, food, dinner)
Plate (dish, food, dinner, round, table)
Towel (dry, bath, shower, beach, wet)
Closet (clothes, hang, wardrobe, door, shoes)
Candle (wax, light, flame, birthday, wick)
Doorbell (ring, ding, dong, visitor, button)
Remote Control (TV, buttons, channel, change, couch)
Kettle (tea, boil, water, whistle, hot)
Garden (flowers, plants, grow, backyard, dirt)
Broom (sweep, floor, witch, dust, clean)
Sink (wash, dishes, water, tap, kitchen)

Places

Beach (sand, ocean, sea, waves, sun)
School (teacher, students, learn, bus, recess)
Hospital (doctor, nurse, sick, patients, emergency)
Library (books, quiet, read, borrow, shelves)
Airport (plane, fly, flight, travel, gate)
Zoo (animals, cage, visit, lions, keeper)
Park (trees, grass, swing, playground, bench)
Supermarket (food, shopping, cart, groceries, store)
Restaurant (eat, food, menu, waiter, table)
Movie Theater (film, popcorn, screen, seats, tickets)
Farm (animals, cows, barn, tractor, crops)
Museum (art, history, paintings, exhibit, old)
Desert (sand, hot, dry, camel, cactus)
Jungle (trees, animals, rainforest, monkeys, vines)
Mountain (high, climb, snow, peak, hike)
Island (water, ocean, surrounded, beach, palm)
Paris (France, Eiffel, Tower, French, city)
New York (city, Manhattan, Liberty, Broadway, apple)
Egypt (pyramids, Nile, Cairo, desert, pharaoh)
London (England, British, Thames, Britain, capital)
Space (stars, planets, astronaut, rocket, galaxy)
Bakery (bread, cakes, cookies, oven, pastry)
Water Park (slides, splash, pool, wet, summer)
Playground (slide, swings, kids, park, sandbox)
Campsite (tent, fire, woods, marshmallows, outdoors)
Post Office (mail, letters, stamps, package, send)
Aquarium (fish, tank, sharks, water, glass)
Volcano (lava, erupt, mountain, hot, magma)
North Pole (Santa, cold, ice, snow, Arctic)
Mall (shopping, stores, escalator, food, clothes)

Jobs

Doctor (hospital, sick, nurse, medicine, patient)
Teacher (school, students, class, homework, lessons)
Firefighter (truck, hose, flames, rescue, smoke)
Police Officer (cop, badge, siren, law, uniform)
Chef (cook, kitchen, food, restaurant, hat)
Pilot (plane, fly, airport, cockpit, captain)
Dentist (teeth, floss, cavity, brush, drill)
Detective (clues, mystery, solve, Sherlock, magnifying)
Astronaut (space, rocket, moon, NASA, stars)
Mail Carrier (letters, packages, deliver, postman, stamps)
Artist (paint, draw, brush, canvas, museum)
Nurse (hospital, doctor, scrubs, bandage, care)
Vet (animals, pets, dog, cat, doctor)
Scientist (lab, experiment, test, chemistry, research)
Plumber (pipes, toilet, leak, water, sink)
Builder (construction, hammer, house, bricks, tools)
Hairdresser (cut, scissors, salon, style, barber)
Lifeguard (pool, beach, swim, rescue, whistle)
Babysitter (kids, watch, parents, night, care)
Waiter (restaurant, food, order, tray, tip)
Tour Guide (travel, trip, museum, group, vacation)
Mechanic (car, fix, engine, garage, tools)
Singer (song, music, voice, microphone, concert)
Magician (tricks, rabbit, hat, wand, disappear)
Photographer (camera, pictures, click, smile, lens)
Judge (court, law, lawyer, gavel, decide)
Clown (circus, funny, red, nose, makeup)
Cashier (money, register, store, checkout, pay)
Pharmacist (medicine, pills, prescription, doctor, store)
Coach (team, sports, whistle, train, players)

Sports

Soccer (ball, goal, kick, football, team)
Basketball (hoop, dribble, court, NBA, net)
Tennis (racket, ball, court, net, serve)
Baseball (bat, pitcher, home, run, glove)
Swimming (pool, water, laps, dive, stroke)
Golf (club, ball, hole, course, tee)
Skiing (snow, mountain, slope, poles, winter)
Volleyball (net, beach, spike, serve, bump)
Hockey (ice, puck, stick, skates, goal)
Bowling (pins, ball, strike, lane, alley)
Surfing (waves, board, ocean, beach, wetsuit)
Gymnastics (flip, balance, beam, Olympics, tumble)
Yoga (stretch, mat, pose, relax, breathe)
Skateboard (wheels, tricks, ramp, ride, park)
Running (race, jog, fast, track, marathon)
Football (touchdown, quarterback, NFL, helmet, tackle)
Ping Pong (table, tennis, paddle, ball, net)
Ice Skating (rink, blades, figure, spin, winter)
Trampoline (bounce, jump, springs, backyard, flip)
Climbing (wall, rope, rock, mountain, harness)
Badminton (shuttle, birdie, racket, net, feather)
Olympics (gold, medal, games, rings, athletes)
Referee (whistle, rules, game, foul, card)
Trophy (win, cup, prize, gold, first)
Marathon (run, long, race, miles, finish)
Goal (score, net, soccer, keeper, point)
Jump Rope (skip, hop, playground, double, Dutch)
Sailing (boat, wind, sea, mast, yacht)
Diving (pool, board, jump, water, splash)
Hula Hoop (spin, hips, circle, waist, twirl)

Holidays (Christmas & Thanksgiving)

Santa Claus (Christmas, presents, beard, sleigh, reindeer)
Reindeer (Rudolph, Santa, sleigh, antlers, red)
Christmas Tree (lights, ornaments, pine, decorate, star)
Snowflake (winter, cold, white, unique, falling)
Stocking (fireplace, hang, sock, Santa, candy)
Gingerbread (cookie, house, man, spice, bake)
Elf (Santa, workshop, toys, helper, ears)
Candy Cane (striped, red, white, peppermint, sweet)
Sleigh (Santa, reindeer, snow, ride, bells)
Present (gift, wrap, box, bow, birthday)
Chimney (smoke, Santa, roof, fireplace, bricks)
Snowball (throw, round, roll, ice, winter)
Carols (singing, songs, Christmas, choir, door)
Wreath (door, green, circle, hang, pine)
Hot Chocolate (cocoa, marshmallows, mug, warm, drink)
Ornament (tree, hang, ball, decoration, glass)
Advent Calendar (December, doors, chocolate, countdown, days)
Christmas Eve (night, before, December, 24th, Santa)
Fireplace (logs, warm, chimney, burn, cozy)
Turkey (Thanksgiving, bird, gobble, roast, stuffing)
Pumpkin Pie (dessert, orange, Thanksgiving, whipped, slice)
Pilgrims (Mayflower, Plymouth, ship, settlers, buckles)
Stuffing (turkey, bread, dressing, side, herbs)
Cranberry Sauce (red, jelly, can, tart, Thanksgiving)
Mashed Potatoes (gravy, creamy, butter, side, white)
Gravy (brown, sauce, turkey, pour, potatoes)
Parade (floats, balloons, Macy's, march, street)
Wishbone (turkey, break, pull, luck, bigger)
Leftovers (turkey, fridge, sandwich, extra, tomorrow)
Thankful (grateful, blessed, appreciate, gratitude, feel)

Hard

Gravity (fall, Newton, apple, down, weight)
Echo (repeat, sound, cave, voice, again)
Shadow (dark, sun, light, follow, silhouette)
Rumor (gossip, whisper, spread, secret, story)
Deadline (due, late, project, time, finish)
Procrastinate (delay, later, lazy, put, off)
Nostalgia (memories, past, miss, old, remember)
Jet Lag (tired, travel, time, zone, flight)
Brain Freeze (cold, ice, cream, headache, fast)
Hiccup (breath, stop, water, scare, sound)
Selfie (photo, camera, phone, picture, pose)
Password (login, secret, computer, account, letters)
Wi-Fi (internet, connection, password, signal, router)
Podcast (listen, episode, audio, show, host)
Emoji (smiley, face, text, phone, icon)
Traffic Jam (cars, stuck, road, slow, rush)
Allergy (sneeze, pollen, peanut, itchy, react)
Sunburn (red, skin, beach, painful, lotion)
Thunderstorm (lightning, rain, loud, clouds, flash)
Recycling (plastic, bottles, bin, green, reuse)
Magnet (attract, metal, fridge, pull, north)
Fossil (bones, dinosaur, old, rock, museum)
Compass (north, direction, south, map, needle)
Telescope (stars, look, far, space, lens)
Hourglass (sand, timer, flip, minutes, old)
Homework (school, teacher, assignment, study, due)
Alarm (wake, ring, morning, clock, snooze)
Daydream (imagine, mind, wander, thinking, class)
Tongue Twister (say, fast, words, tricky, repeat)
Hide and Seek (count, find, game, ready, closet)

Expert

Photosynthesis (plants, sunlight, energy, leaves, chlorophyll)
Deja Vu (before, again, familiar, feeling, French)
Algorithm (computer, code, steps, math, program)
Inflation (prices, money, rise, economy, balloon)
Irony (opposite, sarcasm, funny, expected, literature)
Metaphor (simile, comparison, poetry, like, symbol)
Evolution (Darwin, monkeys, change, species, adapt)
Hibernation (bear, winter, sleep, cave, months)
Paradox (contradiction, impossible, logic, time, puzzle)
Camouflage (hide, blend, chameleon, pattern, disguise)
Eclipse (sun, moon, dark, shadow, solar)
Biodegradable (compost, break, down, nature, plastic)
Coincidence (chance, luck, accident, random, same)
Placebo (pill, fake, medicine, believe, effect)
Sarcasm (irony, tone, joke, obviously, mocking)
Hypothesis (science, guess, experiment, theory, test)
Ecosystem (environment, nature, animals, plants, balance)
Mirage (desert, water, illusion, heat, fake)
Telepathy (mind, read, thoughts, brain, psychic)
Cliffhanger (ending, suspense, episode, next, season)
Plot Twist (story, surprise, ending, movie, unexpected)
Spoiler (ending, movie, ruin, alert, tell)
Peer Pressure (friends, force, cool, group, influence)
Minimalism (less, simple, clutter, few, owning)
Time Zone (hours, clock, travel, different, world)
Introvert (shy, quiet, alone, extrovert, people)
Multitasking (many, things, once, juggle, busy)
Avalanche (snow, mountain, slide, ski, danger)
Constellation (stars, sky, pattern, Orion, zodiac)
Momentum (speed, moving, force, physics, mass)

FAQ

How many players do you need for Forbidden Words?

Four is the smallest good game, two on each team. It works best with 6 to 12 people. With a big group, make two large teams and rotate the clue giver every round so everyone gets a turn.

How do you win?

Each correct guess is 1 point for the team. A passed card or a forbidden word costs nothing in the basic game, or minus 1 point if you play the stricter rule. Play an even number of rounds, or set a target like 30 points, and the team with the most points wins.

What counts as saying a forbidden word?

The card word itself, any part of it, and the 5 words on the card. Most groups also ban rhymes, "sounds like" clues, spelling, gestures and other languages. Agree on this before the first round so nobody argues mid-game.

What are good taboo words for kids?

Use the Easy, Food, Animals and Home packs. Words like Rainbow, Pizza, Penguin and Pillow are things kids see every day, so they can describe them even if the forbidden words make it tricky. Leave Hard and Expert off until they are older.

Is this the same as the board game Taboo?

No. Forbidden Words is our own free word game with our own cards. It uses the same well-known idea of describing a word without saying certain clue words, but it is not made by or connected to the company behind the board game.

Can we play without a phone?

Yes. The full card list is printed on this page. Write cards on paper, use any phone or kitchen timer for 60 seconds, and have someone on the other team watch for forbidden words.

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